Kids' Book Aids Families of Female First Responders

Key Facts:

• The Code 9 Foundation has released *My Mum, My Hero*, a children's book designed to help families discuss post-traumatic stress and mental health injuries experienced by female first responders, complementing the previously released *My Dad, My Hero*.
• Research from the Beyond Blue *Answering the Call* study found that 1 in 10 currently serving first responders experience probable PTSD, with rates rising to 1 in 4 among former first responders, and more than one-third reporting high psychological distress.
• Women now represent more than half of Australia's paramedic workforce, nearly one-third of police officers, around 10 per cent of firefighters, and the majority of 000 operators, yet resources to help children understand the emotional toll of frontline work have historically focused on fathers.
• The book aims to help children understand why their mother may sometimes seem different following difficult shifts, providing families with a way to start conversations and reassure children that they are not alone.
• The Code 9 Foundation is a fully volunteer-run organisation supporting current and veteran professional first responders and their families across Australia's workforce of more than 120,000 professional emergency service personnel.

Children of female first responders finally have a book to help explain PTSD

As more women take on frontline emergency roles across Australia, a new children's book is helping families explain the invisible impact of trauma experienced by those who serve their communities.

The Code 9 Foundation has released My Mum, My Hero, a companion to the widely supported My Dad, My Hero, to help children understand post-traumatic stress and other mental health injuries affecting first responders.

The release comes as research continues to highlight the mental health toll faced by emergency service workers. The national Beyond Blue Answering the Call study, which examined nearly 15,000 police and emergency services personnel across Australia, found:

• 1 in 10 currently serving first responders experience probable PTSD
• Up to 1 in 4 former first responders experience PTSD after leaving the profession
• More than one-third report high or very high psychological distress

Emergency workers are also exposed to traumatic incidents far more frequently than the general population due to the nature of frontline work.

Women now make up more than half of Australia's paramedic workforce, nearly one-third of police officers, around 10 per cent of firefighters, and the majority of 000 operators, highlighting the growing number of mothers serving on the frontline of Australia's emergency response system.

Despite these shifts, resources helping children understand the emotional toll of frontline work have historically focused on fathers.

Victoria Police Sergeant and Code 9 Foundation Treasurer Madeline Gillard said the book reflects the experiences of many families in emergency services.

"First responders see things most people will never have to experience," Sergeant Gillard said.

"But when you have children, one of the hardest things can be explaining why you might sometimes seem different after difficult incidents at work.

"This book gives families a way to start those conversations and reassure children that even when the job is tough, their mum is still their hero."

Victoria Police Sergeant Jaime Coles said children of first responders often witness the pressures of the job without fully understanding what their parents experience.

"Children are incredibly perceptive. They notice when their parent is tired, when they've had a difficult shift, or when something is weighing on them," Sergeant Coles said.

"Resources like this help children understand that what their mum does is important, but that they're also supported and never alone."

Research examining emergency services families has shown the psychological impact of trauma often extends beyond the first responder themselves. Partners and children frequently carry the emotional strain of supporting a loved one exposed to repeated traumatic events.

My Mum, My Hero helps children understand that while their mum's work can expose her to difficult experiences, she remains their hero and they are not alone.

Australia has more than 120,000 professional first responders, including police, paramedics, firefighters and 000 operators. The book forms part of the Code 9 Foundation's broader mission to support current and veteran professional first responders and their families.

The Code 9 Foundation is a 100 per cent volunteer-run organisation providing support, connection and practical resources for first responders and their families.

Women in Australian First Responder Roles

Scale of Australia's First Responder Community

Australia has hundreds of thousands of emergency service workers, including:

My Mum, My Hero

About us:

About The Code 9 Foundation

The Code 9 Foundation is a 100 per cent volunteer-run Australian charity supporting the families of current and veteran professional first responders, including police, firefighters, paramedics and 000 operators.

Research shows around one in ten professional first responders will experience a mental health injury during their career, often as a result of repeated exposure to traumatic incidents.

The foundation provides practical support, connection and resources designed to help families understand and navigate the challenges associated with frontline service.

Initiatives include children's books such as My Dad, My Hero and My Mum, My Hero, peer support, family connection programs and assistance initiatives that strengthen the wellbeing of first responder families.

The foundation's work recognises that the impact of trauma does not stop with the first responder, it is often carried by the families who stand behind them.